Tag Archives: בלע

The Hebrew verb בָּלַע (root: ב-ל-ע) means “to swallow,” “to devour,” “to consume,” or “to destroy.” It often conveys a violent or sudden action, such as an enemy overtaking someone, the earth swallowing the wicked, or time consuming strength. It is frequently found in poetic and prophetic contexts to describe destruction or overwhelming judgment. בָּלַע appears primarily in the Qal binyan and also occurs in Piel (intensive: to utterly consume) and Niphal (passive: to be swallowed). The vivid imagery of this verb contributes to many dramatic scenes in the Hebrew Bible.… Learn Hebrew